Making Our Mark

Making Our Mark

As we began working in the summer of 2016 to bring our vision to life, a critical part of the process was the creation of a mark that the industry would come to know us by. It was important that it communicated a number of different things about us, but also that it was simple and clean. Versatile and memorable. Unique.

At the outset, a particular designer came immediately to mind – Hudd Byard, a tremendously talented artist in my hometown of Memphis. Hudd and I had worked together to launch a regional sports publication in 2004 and I’d kept up with him and his work since. More important to me than his technical skill, however, was the fact that I knew Hudd to be a Christ-follower and someone that would understand who we aimed to be and what we aimed to do. So, we reconnected, I gave him some direction and off he went. What he created, I loved for its simplicity and at the same time, its complexity. Let me explain.

The boxed crimson S, of course, abbreviates our name, ‘SERVE’. And, at least for me, it was a little bit like Jesus in the sense that, I didn’t see it right from the outset … but once I did? I couldn’t NOT see it.

The interlocked white spaces inside the box represent hands, preparing to lock together in service, which is what we do. We lock hands and serve Him together, our clients and us.

Those same white spaces, which could also be also viewed as two Cs, appear to be locking together or ‘connecting’. Plugging into each other. And connecting our wide network of experts, authors, publishing and media friends with each other for everyone’s benefit and ultimately, the glory of God, is what we love doing most.

The color – crimson – represents the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

The font compliments and balances the mark and at the same time, the tail on the R shows a little movement, which is important. ‘SERVE’ is an active word and state of mind.

Overall, it’s a mark that catches your eye and causes your mind to ‘work’. You spend a little time with it. It captures your attention and keeps it.